Iran-Israel-US War: Iran targets US-British military base Diego Garcia in Indian Ocean
Iran-Israel-US War: Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Iran fired two missiles towards Diego Garcia—a strategic US-British military base located in the Indian Ocean—but the attack was unsuccessful. According to media reports, Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles, neither of which reached its intended target.
Citing US officials, reports indicate that one missile failed during flight, while a US warship launched an SM-3 interceptor missile to counter the other. Although it remains unclear whether the interception was entirely successful, the Diego Garcia base sustained no damage. Nevertheless, given Iran's missile capabilities and the considerable distance separating the base from Iran, it is widely believed that the attack failed to achieve its objective.
Diego Garcia is 1800 km from India
Diego Garcia is a strategically located atoll in the central Indian Ocean that hosts a key US-UK military facility. Part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the base is operated primarily by the United States and serves as a critical hub for air and naval operations across a vast region spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
The base has played a central role in US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing a launch point for long-range bombers and supporting naval deployments, including submarines and surveillance missions.
Diego Garcia lies approximately 1,800 kilometers away from India; however, apart from a few islands, there is virtually nothing else between India and Diego Garcia across the Indian Ocean. For this reason, it is considered to be within India's neighborhood. From this location, the United States and Britain conduct their military operations throughout Asia and West Asia.
Iran Had Warned Britain
Prior to this attack, Britain had granted the United States permission to utilize its military bases. On March 20, 2026, the British government decided that the U.S. could use British bases to launch strikes against Iranian missile sites—specifically those targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. However, immediately following this decision, Iran issued a stern warning.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, stated that if Britain permitted the U.S. to use its military bases, it would amount to endangering the lives of British citizens. This situation also demonstrates that Iran does not merely engage in rhetoric but follows through on its warnings.